Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

IQALUIT (Aug 09/99) - One of the first human beings that scientists should consider when they perfect their cloning technology is Iqaluit resident Craig Dunphy.

A long-time volunteer and community go-getter, the 30-something father of five just keeps on giving and giving.

It's dedication like his that benefits the entire community and makes winners of everybody.

Most recently, the coach extraordinaire, in a feat that left even the most iron-willed of adults feeling a little dizzy, escorted a group of eight male and female teenagers to the land of chaos -- Toronto -- for hockey camp and holidays.

"People thought I was nuts taking eight kids to Toronto, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat," said Dunphy after returning home late last month. "I asked them to do two things -- to listen and have fun. I don't know which they did better."

Along with participating in the checking strategy and scoring portion of the STARS Hockey Camp with NHL greats like Rob Blake and Joe Thornton, Dunphy and his junior pals also took in the Hockey Hall of Fame, had tickets along the first-base line at a Blue Jays game at the SkyDome, rode the rollercoasters at Canada's Wonderland and caught the action at Toronto's Street Festival.

"It was just awesome. It was so cool. There was so much going on that the kids couldn't keep up with it," said Dunphy. "They were roller-blading down Yonge Street (during the Street Festival) at 11 o'clock at night, just totally in awe of everything around them."

Despite all the fun and games however, the two weeks also involved a fair amount of hard work on the part of Dunphy, his accompanying coach and the 13 Iqaluit youth who attended the hockey camp thanks to the Qikiqtaaluk Corp. and the Iqaluit Amateur Hockey Association.

While Dunphy couldn't come up with just one aspect of the hockey school that was more memorable than any other, he did say that the performance of the students on the ice would stay with him for a long time.

"They all performed as good or better than the kids they were up against. Mark Etuk, his slapshot was recorded as the hardest of his category, not only among the Canadians there, but also with the States and Europe. And when I saw Nick (Dunphy) score three of the four goals in their final game, you know what that does to me," said Dunphy.

But rest assured, the experiences of a few will definitely be passed on to the masses this fall when hundreds of Iqaluit youths lace up their skates and hit the ice.

"They'll definitely use their skills and take what they learned and pass it on."